Philosophy, Religion & Ethics

Course summary

What will I study During this course you will learn about the fascinating disciplines of Philosophy and Ethics. In philosophy, we start by looking at the history of western philosophy with a study of the ideas of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle before going on to look at the traditional arguments for God’s existence. You will also discover what different people mean by the terms ‘God’, ‘miracle’ and ‘religious experience’ and consider how the language we use shapes our experience of reality. You will also explore issues surrounding the afterlife and the distinction between our body and our ‘soul’. In ethics, you will look at various ethical theories and how they relate to the world around us. From the strict rule based systems of Kant to the calming motto of Situation Ethics you will discover that there is more to ethical decision making than meets the eye. You will also be forced to consider what we mean by the term ‘good’ and whether or not businesses should care about their employees, their consumers or, indeed, the environment. The Development in Christian Thought unit will allow you to explore the philosophical and ethical issues the course brings up from a Christian perspective. It will also delve deeply into the Bible and Church History.